Rotatable spider



necessary when other methods yof finishing body portion of the spider.

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Application filed March 12, 1920. Serial No. 365,207.

To @ZZ/whom t may concern: y Beit known that STEPHEN PRESTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roa' iioke, inthe county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, has invented certain new and useful improvements in Botatable Spiders't `of 1hich the following is aspecification-`- y l Thisinvention rela-testo rotatable `driers,-

and more particularly to thatclass of rotatable driers which employ a spider, to the outer ends of the arms ofwhich articles yto be dried are affixed and revolved around a` centra-l shaft. n ,l *The prime object of my invention isto materially lessen vthe time for completion of photographic films after `they have been lsubjected to treatment of developing and fixing solutions in common use in photographic work. .y

A further object of my invention is to so construct a rotatable device of the spider type as to make it `particularly adaptedto the freeing of saltsr and incidentally drying r photographic films, overcoming the necessity for Washing such' hims, Which Washing `is are used. p

,y Thefurther object is to construct a central or body portion of the spider' in such mannerv that the films may be lifted Afrom they hiring'V solution by the Well. known film'. clips-orholders Which arecommonly used to suspend films in the solution from a support thereabove,and.transfer the clips with the Elms heldvthereby to the body portion of the spider by slippiiigrthe hooked endsof the clips underspring cianips carried bythe `A further object of my invention is to so position the filmsv with relation to their movement through theair as to prevent accumulation of. dust particles on the sensif tized face of films which, at this stage, has

tists in checking their Work, and by denv tists. and physicians as an aid indiagnosis. As dentists and physicians? offices are not universally equipped with X-ray apparatus, it often becomes necessary that patients be referred to a dental orgeneral radiologist for such Work. When ailm is taken from the fixing solution its gelatincoated side has been rendered soft by being subjected to soiutioiis and is therefore very easily marred.

lt therefore becomes necessary that the clearing and drying of films, thus again hardening` the softened surface, befacc'oinplished as quickly las possible 'in order that they may be delivered to the "dentist or diagnostician `who is to use them, in order that he `may be informed of the condition of the teeth and adjacent tissuesl that he maydeterniine as quickiy as possible what conditions exist and so lto facilitate prompt diagnosis'` and treatin ymethods at present in use -it is common Whengfilms are removed from solutions to suspendthem in Water for from fifteen to thirty ininutesgto dissolve out or Wash away v theheavysolution of salts used in develop-y ing processak and then tosuspend them in air to be dried by evaporation. Whensu'ch 'methods are usedthe time required for finishing films might be said toj vary from an extrenie minimum of thirty minutes to sevf eral hours, depending upon condition of air ivith relation tehumidity. By use of my device the same end is accomplished even more satisfactorily in from threeto `four minutes. After removing the films from fiXingsolu- `tioiiivithoutremoving them from the clips,

I pass them `through Water from, say three to five seconds, todilute thel solution remain- -ine'oii films and to Wash away such matter as will readily/come -auf'ay therefrom. .While the step of passing them through Water isK4 notiiecessary it will be found advantageous. f' i then attach the hooked Lends ofthe clips .i

with the film still held thereby to the body of my improved spider, preferably With the hard or sensitized side of the film turned in the direction of the revolution ofthe spider. The spider is then rapidly revolved and the double purpose of yclearing and drying is served the clearing, by centrifugal Amotion freeing the film of remaining salt solution,

and. dryingby contact ivith the air.

`While the surrounding lair may `seem t0 the nakedr eye to be absolutely free from dust, it is Well known that this is notv the fact, there always being small particles of matter carried by the-air and. When a s0f tened photographic film is revolved about a shaft` in such manner as to impact air against its sensitized surface these small particles are driven into such softened sur- :tace thereby marring it. By my method oit rotating the film with the nnsensitized Ytace foremost, or in other words, causing air at high velocity tobe in'ipacted against the unsensitined face of the film, which surface with the wet ilm is hard, as compared with the sensitized tace, the ruinonseieet or the i dust particles in the air is overcome.

lt will be found that when films are cleared and dried by my method the tendency to twist or 'curl is satisfactorily overcome, this being due to film' being forcibly held comparatively straight by centrifugal torce during the drying process. This has vbeen a vena-tions problemv for radiologists and heretofore unsolved.

ln order that those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains may more clearly understand it, l will now describe it with reference to the aecompanying drawings and reference characters thereon, which drawings form a part ot this speciiication, it being understood thatl make no claim for any part ot the means 'ror revolving the spider, my invention having to do with the spider per se, and the methodo clearing and drying photographiciilms by the use thereof.

Figure l shows my improved rotatable spider mounted on the shaft 01": a motor.

` Figure 2 is a perspective view of a ilm clip, which when attached to the center of the body portion or the spider, forms one oit the arms thereof.

Figure 3 is a perspective view or the central or hody portion of the spider.

Referring now to the reference characters, reference numeral l represents the base of a motor. mounted thereon. 3 is a disc of spring metal forming the central or body portion oit my improved spider, which is adapted to be at? lined to the end ot shaft i of motor 2, which disc 3 carries radial arms 8. Radial arms 8 may be-made integral with the disc ormay 2 represents the motor proper,

oping and fixing solution torni the arms 8. Springs 'Y being placed intermediate springs 6 and the centeret the disc -and being on and parallel with the line or the greatest diameter oi the disc Disc 3 is preferably made of springmetal and the leatlilre springs may be struck up therefrom or they may be attached thereto any suitable manner, and are .adapted tok exert a clamping action on the inner ends or arms 8 `between their inner faces and the outer tace or" disc when the arms S are inserted thereunder as shown in Figure Springs act as anchors through their rshoulders) to limitthe tendency et outward movement of the arms 8 which tendency is produced by centrifugal force when the disc 3 is rapidly revolved around shaft 2. uns 8 are formed with hook-like portions l() on their inner ends, which yhoolrlilre portions engage shoulders 9 o'E springs 7, and are provided at their onterends with clips ll for engaging' films The shoulder 9 of springs 6 lorm tulcrnms for arms 8 when the spider is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure l, thus firmly locking 'armsS 'against displacement..

Having thus described my'inventio'n what l vclaim is:

l. ln a rotatable drier comprising a disc adapted to ne aiiixed to arotatabl'e shaft, detachable radial arms lcarried bysaid disc, and spring means tor positioningsaid arms l on said disc.

clamping means tor securing; said arms to said disc. f

3. A spider comprising a disc. detachzf arms carried by s'aiddisc, means with said disc ior clamping` said arms toy said disc, and means ior l 'ting the outward movement of said arms' with relation to the center or said disc, Li. 4` spider coin 7; a dise, radial arms carried by said disc, 'spring means tor clamjiing said arms to. said disey said arms being so shaped at their innerends as to engage one of said means in such manner integralv -as to limit the outward movement 'or said arms with relation 'to the center vot said disc. 5. The method ot drying photographie films, which consists of rotating the iilni in a. direction where the airimpaets against the unsensitized face ot the film. Y

In testimony wl'xereo't l alii); my signature STEPHEN rnnsron. 

